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Review

3.5 “I see you” stars

“Just because the fairy tale doesn’t exist doesn’t mean the happilyever-after doesn’t either.”

I absolutely loved Come Back to Me by Mila Gray, so when I found out she had another book coming out I knew I needed to read it. Stay with Me is an emotional story about guilt, forgiveness, friendship, strength, and love that will pull at your heartstrings. It deals with serious situations that will break you heart and healing moments that will put it back together.

Noel Walker was injured while on active duty and is now recovering at the military hospital. Blinded in a blast, he is physically and emotionally suffering and refuses help from everyone. At least that is he case until a certain sweet brunette enters his room one day. Though he is slow to warm up to Didi, there is something about her that makes it impossible for him to get her off his mind.

Didi Monroe is best-friends with Jessa, the heroine in Come Back to Me. She is a PhD student and following in the footsteps of her parents who are also in the medical field. Unbeknownst to her, when Didi begins an internship at The Center for Hope and Care, her life will forever change when she meets Walker.

Though there is an instant connection between Walker and Didi, the romance is slow burning which only increases the sexual tension surrounding them. The forbidden aspect of a relationship only fuels the fire between them. Slowly they open up to each other but there is a lot to work through before they can give themselves completely and there are some external factors that make it hard to imagine a future together. When they are finally able to go all in, they find their connection is so much more than what they’ve experienced before. It’s intense and full of love. But what happens when it’s easier to run from the ones you love away than face your past?

“When someone’s pushing you away the hardest, that’s often when they need you the most.”

Stay with Me was an entertaining novel that sucked me in from the prologue.  It’s heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.  I liked both Walker and Didi and I loved the friendship that forms between the two of them. Didi is a reprieve from the terrors Walker saw and the nightmares he lives. My heart broke for him for what he went through and what he still goes through with his PTSD. Walker was hurting and full of guilt and regret, and my heart wept for him. I just wanted to hug him and make his pain go away. He needed someone to help with is healing and I loved that Didi was able to pull him out of the depths of the darkness he was living in.

Didi was hardworking and determined, and I loved that she had such a big heart. She cared for the people around her and truly wanted to make a difference in their lives. She grew on me as I learned more about her and watched her interact with the patients. Her love for Walker was unconditional and she wholeheartedly supported him. I loved that she believed in him and wanted him to succeed.

I have to touch on the dreaded love triangle. I am not the biggest fan of them and though this one was a bit annoying, it really wasn’t that bad. I just didn’t get the draw to Zac. His mere presence bothered me. I could not understand why Didi liked him when she knew he was not what she wanted.

I did enjoy this book but there is miscommunication and misunderstandings that really irked me towards the end of the book. I wanted them to fight for each other. Try harder. And then when everything was revealed I felt that so much pain could have been avoided. I didn’t love the way the book headed after things went south between Didi and Walker. My like for Didi’s character fell somewhat with the decisions she made. I did like the ending but felt it wrapped up way too quickly. Everything was resolved in the last 1% and all was forgiven. I would have liked to see more depth to their growth individually as well as together as a couple. Overall though, it was an entertaining read and I will definitely read more from Mila Gray.

“What’s between us . . . this exists. It’s real. It’s not always perfect, and I can’t promise you it won’t sometimes go wrong, like it just did, or that we’ll last forever. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to plan for the future, and I know you want that. I’ve seen too much, witnessed too much, to be able to put stock in the future anymore. But what I can promise you is that every single moment of the present I’ll be with you. And I know this—that what we have means something. It’s significant. It’s not ‘I can’t live without you’ love. It’s ‘I don’t want to live without you’ love.”

 

*ARC generously provided by the author via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

The Come Back To Me series